Independent Spending Totals

Since the start of the presidential campaign, independent groups have spent at least $524 million on television advertisements and other efforts asking voters to elect or defeat candidates. The most active groups have been "super PACs," which can raise unlimited money from individuals, corporations and labor unions. Although these groups cannot legally be tied to a candidate, several of the most-active ones are run or advised by former associates or campaign staff; those are noted below with the picture of the candidate.

Main activity: Attacking Barack Obama(62%)

$142,655,346

90% spent on attack ads

33% of all Rep. spending

2

Republican

Super PAC

This super PAC was active in many Congressional races during the 2010 midterm elections and has Karl Rove as its senior adviser. It has spent money on advertisements opposing President Obama and congressional Democrats.

Main activity: Attacking Barack Obama(93%)

$91,115,447

93% spent on attack ads

21% of all Rep. spending

3

Democratic

Barack Obama

Super PAC

Bill Burton, a former Obama White House aide, heads this Democratic super PAC, which has not been as active as its Republican counterparts.

Main activity: Attacking Mitt Romney(100%)

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

$66,482,084

100% spent on attack ads

77% of all Dem. spending

4

Republican

No known ties to candidate

Republican National Committee

The R.N.C. is the national party organization for the Republican Party and raises and spends money on behalf of its candidates nationwide. Its chairman is Reince Priebus. Its spending total does not include about $21 million in advertising coordinated with Mitt Romney's campaign, or general party spending on other Republican candidates and administrative costs.

Main activity: Attacking Barack Obama(94%)

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

$42,252,251

94% spent on attack ads

10% of all Rep. spending

5

Republican

Backed by David H. Koch and Charles G. Koch, Americans for Prosperity is a conservative issue advocacy organization with ties to the Tea Party movement. It recently began running advertisements expressly calling for the defeat of President Obama.

Main activity: Attacking Barack Obama(100%)

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

$33,542,058

100% spent on attack ads

8% of all Rep. spending

6

Republican

A nonprofit social welfare organization, Crossroads GPS is a companion group to American Crossroads, a Republican-backing super PAC active in the presidential and Congressional races. A lawyer for President Obama has asked the Federal Election Commission to force GPS to reveal its donors.

Main activity: Attacking Barack Obama(69%)

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

$22,146,304

69% spent on attack ads

5% of all Rep. spending

7

Republican

No known ties to candidate

American Future Fund

A conservative nonprofit organization based in Iowa, American Future Fund has spent money attacking Democratic candidates for Congress and President Obama.

Main activity: Supporting Mitt Romney(59%)

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

$19,038,220

41% spent on attack ads

4% of all Rep. spending

8

Republican

Newt Gingrich

Super PAC

Winning Our Future

This super PAC was created by Becky Burkett, the former chief development officer for American Solutions, a PAC that Newt Gingrich founded. Since the reporting period ended, the super PAC has reportedly also received at least $10 million from a wealthy casino owner, Sheldon Adelson, and his wife.

Main activity: Supporting Ron Paul(100%)

$3,417,467

1% spent on attack ads

1% of all Rep. spending

18

Democratic

Super PAC

A labor-union-backed super PAC, Workers' Voice is primarily engaged in "ground game" efforts to increase voter registration and turnout. It has also run online advertisements opposing Mitt Romney.

Main activity: Attacking Mitt Romney(51%)

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

$2,936,245

51% spent on attack ads

3% of all Dem. spending

19

Democratic

Super PAC

No known ties to candidate

Florida Freedom PAC

Financed primarily by the Service Employees International Union, this super PAC has spent money on voter registration and turnout efforts in Florida on behalf of President Obama and Democratic Senator Bill Nelson.

Main activity: Supporting Barack Obama(100%)

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

$2,834,361

0% spent on attack ads

3% of all Dem. spending

20

Republican

Jon M. Huntsman Jr.

Super PAC

Our Destiny

This super PAC supported Jon M. Huntsman Jr. before he left the race. A former Huntsman campaign aide, Fred Davis, helps run the committee.

Main activity: Supporting Jon M. Huntsman Jr.(100%)

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

$2,804,234

0% spent on attack ads

1% of all Rep. spending

21

Republican

This PAC, formed by the political consultant Scott Mackenzie, has been running television advertisements repeating unsubstantiated claims raised by the "birther" movement that President Obama was not born in the United States. On its web site, the PAC "demands Congress investigate Barack Obama’s forged birth certificate."

Main activity: Attacking Barack Obama(100%)

$2,792,830

100% spent on attack ads

1% of all Rep. spending

22

Democratic

The largest public employee labor union, Afscme has run ads against Mitt Romney in swing states such as Florida and Ohio.

Main activity: Attacking Mitt Romney(96%)

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

$2,602,478

96% spent on attack ads

3% of all Dem. spending

23

Republican

Super PAC

No known ties to candidate

The Next Generation

This conservative super PAC raises nearly all of its money from small-dollar donors and lists among its officers former employees of InfoCision, an Ohio marketing and fund-raising company with clients that include many Republican and conservative organizations. It has spent money opposing President Obama via direct mail, telephone calls and other media.

Main activity: Attacking Barack Obama(100%)

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

$1,730,458

100% spent on attack ads

Less than 1% of all Rep. spending

24

Republican

No known ties to candidate

Susan B. Anthony List

This organization helps to elect anti-abortion candidates and has run ads opposing President Obama.

League of Conservation Voters Victory Fund

Main activity: Attacking Mitt Romney(84%)

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

$1,311,072

84% spent on attack ads

2% of all Dem. spending

26

Democratic

No known ties to candidate

MoveOn.Org Political Action

First formed in 1998 to oppose the impeachment of President Bill Clinton, MoveOn is a liberal political action group. It has spent money on online and broadcast advertisements and other forms of outreach, including airplane banners, to oppose Mitt Romney.

Main activity: Attacking Mitt Romney(78%)

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

$1,120,149

83% spent on attack ads

1% of all Dem. spending

27

Republican

Super PAC

No known ties to candidate

Citizens for a Working America PAC

First organized for the 2010 midterm elections, this super PAC was reported to be raising money to help Michele Bachmann's campaign, but in late December it shifted its support to Mitt Romney.

Main activity: Supporting Mitt Romney(83%)

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

$1,090,734

17% spent on attack ads

Less than 1% of all Rep. spending

28

Republican

No known ties to candidate

Life and Liberty PAC

An anti-abortion organization with ties to the former presidential candidate Alan Keyes, Life and Liberty PAC produces direct mail and telephone messages in addition to canvassing voters.

Main activity: Supporting Ron Paul(100%)

$427,379

0% spent on attack ads

Less than 1% of all Rep. spending

34

Republican

Herman Cain

Super PAC

9-9-9 Fund

This super PAC supported the candidacy of Herman Cain, the former chief executive of Godfather's Pizza, before he suspended his campaign in December.

Main activity: Supporting Herman Cain(100%)

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

$411,055

0% spent on attack ads

Less than 1% of all Rep. spending

35

Republican

No known ties to candidate

National Organization for Marriage

A nonprofit organization, it created a Web site and advertisement opposing Representative Ron Paul of Texas during the early Republican primary season.

Main activity: Attacking Ron Paul(75%)

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

$317,844

75% spent on attack ads

Less than 1% of all Rep. spending

36

Republican

No known ties to candidate

Our Country Deserves Better

The political action committee of the Tea Party Express, this group has sent e-mails critical of President Obama.

Main activity: Supporting Mitt Romney(50%)

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

$306,733

50% spent on attack ads

Less than 1% of all Rep. spending

37

Democratic

Super PAC

No known ties to candidate

UFCW Working Families Advocacy Project

The super PAC of the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, which represents more than 1.3 million people working mainly in grocery and retail stores and the food processing and meat packaging industries.

Main activity: Attacking Mitt Romney(100%)

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

$263,245

100% spent on attack ads

Less than 1% of all Dem. spending

38

Republican

Super PAC

No known ties to candidate

Strong America Now Super PAC

Strong America Now, which supports Mr. Gingrich, proposes that federal agencies adopt the business strategy known as Lean Six Sigma to reduce waste.

Main activity: Supporting Newt Gingrich(100%)

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

$225,347

0% spent on attack ads

Less than 1% of all Rep. spending

39

Republican

Super PAC

No known ties to candidate

Winning Freedom

Created by Texas resident Brandon Todd, this super PAC began backing Newt Gingrich through online advertisements in late February.

Main activity: Supporting Newt Gingrich(100%)

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

$153,083

0% spent on attack ads

Less than 1% of all Rep. spending

40

Republican

Super PAC

No known ties to candidate

Americans for a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow

This super PAC was created by the comedian Stephen Colbert, and it ran advertisements in his home state, South Carolina, before the primary there in support of Herman Cain, who was on that state's ballot despite having left the race weeks before the primary.

Main activity: Supporting Herman Cain(40%)

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

$79,527

60% spent on attack ads

Less than 1% of all Rep. spending

41

Democratic

Super PAC

No known ties to candidate

D.G.A. Action Fund

An offshoot of the Democratic Governors Association, this super PAC has spent smaller amounts of money in the presidential race, mostly on advertisements on Facebook.

Main activity: Attacking Mitt Romney(59%)

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

$63,730

92% spent on attack ads

Less than 1% of all Dem. spending

42

Republican

No known ties to candidate

Beat Obama Political Action Committee

Started as the Draft Herman Cain committee, this group changed its name after Mr. Cain suspended his campaign in early December and is focused solely on defeating President Obama.

Main activity: Supporting Herman Cain(87%)

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

$57,291

13% spent on attack ads

Less than 1% of all Rep. spending

43

Republican

No known ties to candidate

Campaign for Working Families

Founded by the former Republican presidential candidate Gary Bauer in 1996; in late 2011 it spent money on online advertisements opposing President Obama.

Main activity: Attacking Barack Obama(42%)

Sep.

Oct.

Nov.

$24,592

42% spent on attack ads

Less than 1% of all Rep. spending

44

Republican

Super PAC

No known ties to candidate

Leaders for Families Super PAC

The second of two super PACs formed to support Rick Santorum. Its founders have ties to an organization opposed to Iowa's same-sex marriage law.